TAR 10 - Peter & Sarah

[LG.]

In my experience with pre-boarding (with small children, always a joy in airplanes) there is a slight advantage in pre-boarding because you get "first crack" at the overhead bins for your carryon luggage. If you are traveling with lots of carryon luggage (like everyone racing on TAR, they save time by not checking bags) and you have to board with your row, the overhead bins close to your seat might be already full. Then you might have to stow your bag behind your seat and have to fight traffic upon landing to get your bag so you can deplane, or if the bins were full, the airline would "gate check" your bag and you'd need to find it after the plane had landed, which could slow a team down. It's not huge, but it is something of an advantage.

[Zerfley]

I personally don't see any problem with her using her artificial leg to the team's advantage and I don't see it as unfair to the other teams. Every team has strengths and weaknesses. Some are younger or faster or more athletic or know more languages or whatever. All of the teams will use whatever they have to their advantage at some point during the race. Sarah's artificial leg will be such a disadvantage in certain situations, such as in a close foot race, so I don't have any problem with her taking advantage of it when the opportunity presents itself. That said, I fail to see how it's any advantage to get to preboard a flight where all on the flight will arrive at the same time and the seats have been pre-assigned.

Totally agree w/you on this.

Question - If you qualify to pre-board do you get to de-plane first too?

The instance where I just didn't get the "using the leg to their advantage" was when they were trying to get a cab to the Great Wall and she told the driver it was an emergency and she need to go to hospital. What was the point of that? Get him to agree to take them and once they're in the cab say "oh, nevermind, we'd just like to go to the Great Wall instead, please hurry." It just seemed stupid to lie at that point.

[LG.]

I don't like people claiming to have an "emergency" when they don't, and I guess it is because of the old "don't cry wolf" mentality. My hubby is a firefighter and has to respond to many non-emergencies as people pulling fire alarms in apartment buildings as a joke and whatnot. I guess it is just bad karma in my mind for her to claim a medical emergency to try to get a cab for a race. I don't think it's an "unfair" advantage for this team, as she does have to race with only one leg and her artificial leg is giving her problems, but I personally don't like people lying about emergencies. I watch this show with my 6 year old and try to explain to her that lying isn't good and then don't like to see it be rewarded. Even though Charla and Mirna were not my favorite team, I always admired how Charla never made an excuse or fake emergency and just powered through all the challenges (often whupping Mirna's behind in the process).

[Muduh]

I understand how you feel since my son is a Paramedic/firefighter and often makes the 2 am call for someone with a minor ailment that could easily have waited till morning. I don't think I have a real problem with using that excuse to get a cab, though. I do see why parents of small children who watch the show could have a problem though. Lots of things that might just roll off our backs can make a deep impression on them.

[prhoshay]

Couldn't she just point to the leg, with hopes that that would work? That would keep her from having to tell a blatant lie, however there is nothing in the rules that says you can't use whatever strategy you have.

If I were trying to teach a child about not lying, I could not have them watching reality tv with me.

[hepcat]

I was wondering if it is airline policy to have people with disabilities to board first. Does anyone know?

You get to board first but you deplane last. The only sure-fire way to get off the plane first is to be holding a first-class ticket.

[Muduh]

Couldn't she just point to the leg, with hopes that that would work? That would keep her from having to tell a blatant lie, however there is nothing in the rules that says you can't use whatever strategy you have.

If I were trying to teach a child about not lying, I could not have them watching reality tv with me.

Exactly. that's what I said about the sleaze show known as Big Brother.

Hep, I didn't know that. We don't fly and I've never thought to ask anyone else how that works.

[TrapperJon]

I don't like people claiming to have an "emergency" when they don't, and I guess it is because of the old "don't cry wolf" mentality. My hubby is a firefighter and has to respond to many non-emergencies as people pulling fire alarms in apartment buildings as a joke and whatnot. I guess it is just bad karma in my mind for her to claim a medical emergency to try to get a cab for a race. I don't think it's an "unfair" advantage for this team, as she does have to race with only one leg and her artificial leg is giving her problems, but I personally don't like people lying about emergencies. I watch this show with my 6 year old and try to explain to her that lying isn't good and then don't like to see it be rewarded. Even though Charla and Mirna were not my favorite team, I always admired how Charla never made an excuse or fake emergency and just powered through all the challenges (often whupping Mirna's behind in the process).

I seem to remember Charla & Mirna using the "Fake Emergency" card to try and get on a flight that was closed. Am I remembering that right? I seem to recall something about "El Doctor-o" too.

[canuckinchile]

Exactly Hep...except sometimes people don't wait to deplane and clog up the aisles. Personally, I don't care if I have to wait a little longer for people with disablilties but it has made me miss a connection on one occasion. Also, you can pick your own seats on aa.com, and I love this feature and use it almost up until boarding time to get seats near the front if I have a connection (and this would be good for the racers) or an aisle seat so my legs aren't crunched.

[karalott]

I seem to remember Charla & Mirna using the "Fake Emergency" card to try and get on a flight that was closed. Am I remembering that right? I seem to recall something about "El Doctor-o" too.

They did in Argentina, but I don't think the lady believed them. Majority of the time Mirna just commented on Charla's size and tried to get people's sympathy that way. Nothing wrong with that, because as I and others have said if you have something to give you an advantage in this game then you're going to use it. Besides, I don't Sarah's leg would give her a huge advantage unless it meant the difference between getting a cab that saved her from being eliminated while another team was left in the dust.